Upright

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Upright

Research in human behavior indicates that we are healthier and happier and that we live longer, richer lives if we have a sense of purpose or if we feel we have a mission that guides our contribution to the world. The word “upright” is used both for posture and for a way of living properly, of being honest and honorable (as opposed to crooked). What does it mean to you to live upright? If you think of yourself as evolving as a person, what is the next step in your evolution?

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You Are Here

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This sign at the entryway to the Kalamazoo Nature Center is the closest thing I had to a picture of a map with a pointing arrow that reads “you are here.” But actually I think this fits the bill even better!

One of the greatest balancing acts in our modern world, is to find the sweet spot between the rush to the future and enjoyment the present. Fall is a great reminder to do so. As the weather cools, the days shorten, and winter starts to bare its teeth, we need to ready ourselves for the storms while enjoying the last of the harvest season.

You Are Here was previously published in my 7th book of poetry, Bearing Witness, available at amazon or for digital format, click here: Bearing Witness.

We are always at that point
on the map of our lives
that says, “You Are Here.”
And we always start
from here and now.

No matter how rugged
or smooth the terrain,
how twisted or straight the path,
how difficult or easy the steps,
we are always right we are,
always at the tip of the arrow. 

We live like royalty
while we clothe
our hearts and minds in rags.

Toss them aside.

Don a dream coat,
stitched from the colors
of your life —

the sunshine yellows of happy days
and deep blues of sad ones,
the garden greens of growth
and the burnt browns of loss,
the metallic grey of loneliness
and the bright red blossoms of love —  

and wear the wonder of this life,
taking the next step knowing
you will land again in another now,
complete in itself, with more than enough
for all your desire.

What are you doing to harvest your time and your life?
Please share your thoughts and comments below.

© Nick LeForce
All Rights Reserved

Today Is The Day

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Today Is The Day

Have you ever awakened in the morning and felt like something in your life had changed? I have. When I read great poets, like Rumi or Hafiz or David Whyte, I sometimes get the same feeling, as if there is another, unencumbered version of me or as if I live another life that is richer and fuller than this one in a parallel universe that is just a breath away. What if you could, in the space of a breath, become a richer, fuller version of yourself? How would you know it had happened? What would be different in your life if you lived the unencumbered version of yourself? 

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Agave Nectar

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Agave Nectar

Recent tragedies from nature, including the devastating storms and the fires across the state of California, and other disasters in the world, show that we are children of the earth and we live at the mercy of weather. What is left when we lose everything? Perhaps the only thing we have, in the end, is our dignity. Have you suffered from potentially devastating circumstances in life? If so, how did it change you? What did it take from you and what did it bring out in you?

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Life At Our Fingertips

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Life At Our Fingertips

Do you have the Midas Touch? The Phrygian King Midas' was obsessed with gaining immeasurable wealth. His wish for a golden touch was granted and everything he touched turned to gold. The tale goes on to say that he died of starvation because even his food, and, sadly, his own daughter, were turned to gold by his touch. It is a cautionary tale about our current obsession with personal wealth. This poem, Life At Our Fingertips, celebrates another kind of gold that we can only find by living a soulful life. 

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I Can't...But I Can

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I Can't...But I Can

We all long to be "seen," to be beheld by another with accepting eyes, by one who "stands in the face of our suffering and still sees our beauty;" and who can "witness our weakness and still see our strength."  I don't always achieve it, but I get glimpses of the possibility, especially when teaching and reciting poetry. Every time, I feel the transformative nature of simply being seen and the healing power of an accepting heart. 

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